Mike Zehnder can't remember the exact moment he first met L. Brooks Patterson in the early 1980s.

"He was out and about, I was out and about ...," said Zehnder, leaning back in his office chair.

One thing is certain, it turned out to be an important day for Zehnder because Patterson -- elected as Oakland County Executive in 1993 -- liked the sturdy Marine enough to hire him to be the county's director of public services.

Now Zehnder is ending his 20-year run, retiring April 8, trading life in Michigan for a home in Lexington, Ky.

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"He started with me on the first day," said Patterson.

"He manages six diverse departments -- including the morgue, veterans services and animal control." The other three are circuit court probation, community corrections and MSU Extension-Oakland County.

Patterson said Zehnder, 69, known for his wicked sense of humor, "likes to kid around, but when you get right down to it, he's one of the most effective guys I have and he's going to be hard to replace."

No one has yet been named to the position.

Born in the U.S., Zehnder was raised in Canada and then came back to the states. He graduated from the University of Detroit and the University of Maryland with a marketing major.

He joined the Marines, and saw combat in Vietnam. He left the corps in 1968.

"My time with the Marines was my foundation, it made me what I am," said Zehnder, surrounded by corps memorabilia and photos in his office.

"I'm so proud of my service."

He married his wife Ellen and the couple have two sons, Steven and Tom.

Zehnder worked in marketing for years, and then became a sports agent for athletes and media personalities in the early 1980s.

He's still close with many athletes including Detroit Pistons great Vinnie Johnson, hockey legend Mickey Redmond and former Detroit Lions kicker Eddie Murray.

At the county, Zehnder administered a $16 million budget and a workforce of 320 over the years.

Zehnder credited the division managers for the departments' success.

"They make it work," he said.

Garth Wootten, the county's Veterans Services division manager, said Zehnder's leadership has been a "tremendous benefit" to all veterans in the area.

Wootten said there were no VA facilities in the county when Zehnder began working. "Today we have three facilities, two in Pontiac and the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly," Wootten wrote.

"You will leave behind a legacy of compassion and dedication to serving the veterans of our county."

Zehnder said the 544-acre cemetery -- opened in 2005 with now 17,500 veterans buried there -- is his greatest accomplishment.